Coding for Improved Flexibility

My Java Math Test Applet is designed to respond to student ability, but I have found difficulty fine tuning the responsiveness for able and less able children. The most able children want to race through the difficulty levels, so that they can get to the top level by the end of the activity. The less able children get put off if the items get too hard too quickly, so they want a more gentle gradient.

The current promotion code, called by a correct answer, is as as follows:

void raiseLevelnum(int oldLevel) {
if (promoscore > 2 && timeonTask <= 3) {
if (oldLevel < 5) {
levelnum = oldLevel + 1;
} else {
levelnum = oldLevel;
}
promoscore = 0;
}
}

The relegation code, called by an incorrect answer, is:

void reduceLevelnum(int oldLevel) {
if (oldLevel > 1) {
levelnum = oldLevel - 1;
} else {
levelnum = 1;
}
}

So to get promoted, the student needs 3 consecutive correct answers and a rapid response on the last item. That is about right for an Australian Year 2 or 3 student, but it is too slow for a year 5 or 6 student. My plan is therefore to offer students a choice of gradient, but I also need to tighten up the student responsiveness code.

And while I'm at it, there is hard coded maximum difficulty level of 5 in:

if (oldLevel < 5) {

This needs changing to a soft parameter so as to make future changes to the number of levels easier to implement and to allow for different numbers of levels for different operations:

if (oldLevel < levelMax) {

Now giving students a choice of gradient requires a new dropdown box on the front end, which in turn requires changing the gridy value of everything below. This all seems a bit archaic, but it can be researched another day.

The gradient selection needs to recorded for use in the promotion code, and then the code needs adjusting:

void raiseLevelnum(int oldLevel) {
int promoParam = 3 - gradIndex;
float paramRate = (float)(gradIndex);
float relegRate = 4*paramRate;
paramRate = 10*paramRate;
if (promoscore > promoParam && promoRate > paramRate) {
if (oldLevel < LevelMax) {
levelnum = oldLevel + 1;
} else {
levelnum = oldLevel;
}
resetPromo();
}
if (promoRate < relegRate) {
if (oldLevel > 1) {
levelnum = oldLevel - 1;
} else {
levelnum = 1;
}
resetPromo();
}
}

I have included in the adjustment a promotion rate as well as a promotion raw score, and I have added in a relegation rate. I have observed with children using the software that when you set an addition or subtraction item which is too hard for say a Year 2 or Year 3 student they will use their fingers to produce the correct answer, although it takes them a very long time. So using an incorrect answer to bring them back to the appropriate difficulty level is insufficient as an effective trigger.